The Penny
by Jay Huddson AKA Aqua
Summary: Well this was supose to be a story for English class.....but i went over the word limit by 1500 words  its got 5 XMen characters and 4 OCs no one has powers... sorry no action!
1. Chapter 1

Empty Pockets

Short story number one

Six years ago 

A small light escaped through the curtain. The blue moonlight dimly lit the room. A boy lies on the bed staring at the ceiling deep in thought. The covers kicked off the bed. Only wearing shorts. Bruises and cuts scattered all over his arms, legs, stomach, and chest.

'Go! Y' have ta! Jus' go now! They're probably passed out on the couch or the floor! They always are! They don' care 'bout ya!' he thought to himself.

He sighed and sat up. Letting his feet touch the floor. He ran a hand through his brown hair. He sighed again and got up. He pulled on a tee shirt and shoes. He grabbed a book bag and packed some clothes. He swung it over his shoulder and opened his door carefully. He looked down the hall to make sure no one was up. When he saw no one and he walked down the hall. He stopped in front of a door. His hazel eyes locked on it.

'Y' can't leaver 'er! She's y'r little sister! She gets beat jus' as much as y'! Go wake 'er up!' he looked down the hall once more and opened the door.

The room was completely dark. He made his way over to the bed. She was just lying there. Bruises and cuts along her arms and legs. He put a hand on her shoulder and gently shook her.

"Rei! Rei! Wake up! We're going!" he whispered.

"Remy?" she mumbled sitting up.

She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"Where we going?" she asked.

"Away from here," he said.

She instantly got up and pulled on some clothes. She grabbed a bag and packed some clothes in it. She wouldn't complain about leaving, she hated it hear just as much as he did. Two alcoholic parents who always got drunk and angry. All that anger would be taken out on them. Rei threw the bag over her shoulder. Both of them where only two years apart. She was only eight and he was ten. He had no plan! She had no plan! Neither of them had any clue what they would do.

Remy sighed, not sure why he was doing this. He could have just got to the police and reported his parents. But all that would do is send them to some other relative. They where just as bad! The only thing their family consisted of was a bunch of drunks! It always made his mad just thinking about. So mad that he wished he could just blow them all up! Just get rid of them so no other kids have to go through what they had to. Their parents would both go out and come home late. They'd be drunk. Rei and himself where just like punching bags.

Remy led them out of the room and to the living room. No one was down stairs. He spotted a wallet on the kitchen table. He snuck over to it and grabbed all the money out of it. It must have been a bit over a hundred. He caught sight of sunglasses on the table. He smiled and grabbed the two pairs. He gave a pair to Rei. Both of them put the sunglasses on and headed to the door. They tip toed to the front door avoiding the squeaky floorboards. They walked out side into the cool crisp air. They shut the door slowly behind them. As soon as it was shut both of them where smiling. They walked down the street and into the city. Neither said anything to each other.

Remy's thoughts where racing and he was pretty sure Rei's where too. If they where caught they'd be sent back. He wasn't even sure how they'd make money! They could try and find jobs. But the boss would want to know who their parents where. They could street performances. But two kids would probably draw a cop or two in. He sighed trying to think of something. He looked over on the other side of the street. Two men passing each other.

He noticed the one man going the opposite way of him slipped his hand into the other man's pocket. Remy stopped and watched the man keep walking. The man stopped and held up a wallet. He pulled out a few things and tossed the wallet aside. Remy's mouth dropped a bit. It was an option. It was a bad option, but it was still an option.

"Remy? Y' ok?" Rei asked looking at him.

Remy nodded his head and started walking again. It was the only thing he could think of. It would work. They'd have to practice a lot. They'd have to be quick. If the person felt them reaching into their pocket they'd be caught. It was risky, but maybe worth a shot. They kept walking down the sidewalk. Everything was pretty quiet. Both of them just kept walking.

As they turned a corner Remy spotted a man heading their way. It would be risky to try without any practice of and know how of what and how to do this. He took a deep breath and cleared his mind. As he passed the man he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled his wallet out. The man just kept walking and turned the corner. Remy stopped and looked at the wallet in his hand. He couldn't believe he did it. Rei just looked at the wallet. Her eyes grew wide.

"Did y' jus'-" she started but Remy cut her off by nodding her head.

"Dis might be de only way. De only way we can make money," Rei just gave him a look "I know, I know, it's risky! But can y' t'ink of any other way?" he asked.

She stayed quiet. Remy pulled the money out of the wallet and threw it aside and put the money in his pocket. They walked on into the night, both of them said nothing to each other.

**2 years ago**

Two kids ran up the stairs of their house. Both of them pushed at the door, it swung open and slammed against the wall. They collapsed on the floor. The two of them looked at each other in disbelief. Each of them taking in deep breaths. Sweat poured down their foreheads and mingled with their red hair.

"Did we just do that?" the girl asked.

The boy nodded his head and said "Yea. Yea we did!" he started to laugh a bit.

The girl just looked at him with wide green eyes and smiled. She started to laugh a bit too. Soon both of them where laughing. They stopped and leaned against the bed.

"How we did that I'll never know!" the girl said.

"That w-that was awesome!" he said.

"Oh my god! Johnny! People know we did! We'll get in so much trouble! We might get sent to juvy! I can't go there! We can't go there! We'd get beaten up for sure!" the girl said jumping up and pacing around the room.

"Cali! Cali! Calm down! They can't send us there if they can't find us!" Johnny said as his green eyes followed her pacing.

Cali just shot him a look.

"Are you saying we're gonna play hid and seek?" Cali asked.

Johnny laughed and shook his head "No! We take off! There's more of the world out there! No one will find us!" he said.

Cali's mouth fell wide open "We're gonna run away? We can't do that! Where would we go? Where would we get food? Most importantly where would I get sushi?" Cali asked.

"Cali, we're in New York! You could find a sushi place any where!" Johnny stood up "Now pack a bag! We're off!" he ran out of the room.

Cali sighed and smiled. The thought of what happened earlier came through her mind. She grabbed a bag and pulled out clothes she liked. Johnny came back into her room after a while. She looked around the room to make sure she got every thing she needed. She caught sight of her stuffed kangaroo. She grabbed it and shoved it in her bag. Johnny just smiled and pulled out his stuff platypus. The grins on their faces where as big as they could get. Just before they left the room Cali grabbed her guitar and guitar case. She shoved her guitar in the case and threw it over her back.

"I'd never leave my guitar!" Cali said as they ran down the stairs.

Johnny walked into the kitchen and grabbed the jar of money on the fridge and shoved the money into his pocket.

"Money for the time being!" he said.

The two ran down the bus stop and jumped on the bus to the next town. Cali's thoughts where about what they did. Jut the two of them playing around with some matches. Caught an old abandoned building on fire, which caught the forest on fire. There was something about fire that drew both of their attentions to it. They'd just sit there and stare at it in all its beauty. The read and yellows and oranges all mixed within it. They stayed hidden until they got off out of their town. They then caught another bus to the next town.

In the next town they grabbed some food. Cali and Johnny sat on a bench. Cali pulled her guitar and started strumming and singing. This drew in a few people. Johnny grinned and grabbed a baseball cap from his back and set it front of Cali. It was filled up in no time. After she finished Johnny started counting the money. Cali just glared at him.

"Music should be free!" she said.

"Yea, but sushi isn't free!" Johnny said.

Cali just looked at him and held her guitar up and grinned "Sushi!" she squealed.

Cali kept playing and singing. People came to listen and watch. Johnny, every once in a while, would get up and dance, which brought in a lot of people and a lot of money. There was still one thing still on her mind, if someone they knew found them, even thought they hadn't even been gone for five hours, no one would really looking for them. But they'd be taken back to their parents, they'd be sent to juvy, and probably have to do community service. Cali hated the thought of having to go to an old person's home and talk to old people! She never liked them. They smelled funny and where never any fun. Johnny seemed to have no worries.

Cali just kept on playing. It was something that calmed her down and made her feel good. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she thought. Maybe Johnny was right not to worry. She should just be a little more like him. She smiled and played her best.

Present 

A boy walked down the hall after getting off the phone. His thoughts racing. Not sure what to do. He went to his room and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked around the room at some of his paintings. Everything that was bright and colorful looked dull and colorless. He sighed and caught sight of a picture. Bright sparkling blue eyes, cheerful smile that would make you smile, short soft black hair, and all bundled up into one little girl. Just the thought of having to tell her broke his heart. He put his head into his hands.

'How do I tell her? She's only six!' he got up and headed towards her room.

He stopped in front of the door. His blue eyes looked at up and down and rested on the doorknob. He reached his hand out to but pulled it back as soon as it touched it. He backed up and shook his head and walked down the hall to the phone. He presses a few buttons and waited for the beeping noise.

"Hello?" came through the earpiece.

"Paul?" he asked.

"Petey? Oh man! It's been a while! How are you? What's going on?" Paul asked.

Petey sighed and told him the news.

"Oh man! I'm-I'm sorry to hear that! Is there anything I can do?" Paul asked.

"One thing, I don't know how to tell Jasmine. She'd be heart broken! I-I don't know what to do!" Petey said running a hand on top of his short black hair.

"Just tell her what happened, but be gentle about it," Paul said, "What about child services? Have they called? They'd take Jay away from you!" Paul added quickly.

"Oh no! I hadn't thought of that! What should I do?" Petey asked.

"Can you make your way over here? I'd come and get you but I've got exams this week! You bring your stuff and stay with me! Bring Jay too! You two can stay here as long as you like! I need some company in this empty house!" Paul said.

"Yes, I believe we could make our way over there. But we'll be on foot, no car anymore" Petey sighing, "It might be a week," Petey said.

"Be careful! Bye," Paul said and hung up.

Petey stood there for a while. Just staring at the phone. The same phone that brought him the news. The news about his parents. Driving home after a party. A drunk driver hit them. Both of them died. He sighed and slowly walked up the stairs. He went back to his room and grabbed a book bag and packed it. He went around his room and then the whole house grabbing money from on top of the fridge, on the counter top, in his parent's room, and his wallet. He added it all up and it came to $127.79. He walked back to his room and stuck it in a small zipper pocket on his bag.

He walked out of his room and down the hall in front of the door. He sighed and opened the door. She was just sitting on floor playing with her stuffed animal. The little white tiger he got for her when he went to that summer painting class in Bayville, New York. The same place he first met Paul. Both of them became friends. Paul was nineteen now, Petey was sixteen, both of them had one thing in common, they loved to paint. When Petey's family came and visited they met Paul. He instantly became a family friend and was dubbed 'Uncy Paul' by Jasmine and Paul dubbed her 'Jay'.

She just looked up at him and smiled. He couldn't help but smile. He walked over to her dresser and started packing some of her clothes. She said nothing. But he knew what questions ran through her mind. He could tell her smile must have disappeared, because he wasn't smiling. People couldn't help but smile if Jasmine was smiling. If she wasn't they weren't either. When grabbed all her stuff and turned too look at her. Her sparkling light blue eyes where wide opened and following him. Her smile was gone and replaced by a straight face. He kneeled down in front of her.

"Jay, I need to tell you something," he said.

Her eyes widened and she hugged her tiger doll tight.

"Where going to go to Uncy Paul's," he said.

Her eyes went bright and smile came back on her face "Are mommy and daddy gonna go there too?" she asked.

He couldn't tell her but knew he had to.

"No. Mommy and daddy are-are gone," he said.

"Gone? Where did they go to?" she asked.

"Heaven, mommy and daddy went to Heaven. Don't worry! Their still here! We just can't see them. They're going to watch over us! God is going to watch over them," he said.

Her eyes went dull as she just stared at him. Her eyes stared to water. He knew he was going to want to cry, he could cry though. He needed to stay strong through this. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn't sob or say anything. She didn't move. He just looked out the window trying to avoid her eyes.

"Pack a bag, we have to leave to go to Uncy Paul's," he said without looking a her.

He heard her move about the room, slowly. His vision started getting blurry. He wiped his eyes and looked over at Jasmine. She had a small little blue book bag in her hand. She set in the middle of the floor and moved around the room quietly and slowly. She grabbed her small Bible and rosary and put them in her bag. She put her tiger in the bag and went over to her toy box and went through it. She pulled nothing out. She just shut it closed.

"Is that it?" he asked.

She shook her head and ran out of the room. She came back with a family picture and travel sized tissue packets. She pulled the picture out of the frame and stuck it inside of the Bible. She stuck the tissues in the bag and zipped it up. She looked over at him. He stood up and they both headed for the door. They walked down to the door. Petey stopped and looked behind him one last time and walked outside.

Six years ago 

"Remy? Where are we gonna go?" Rei asked.

Remy thought for a second "How's Bayville sound?" he asked.

**2 years ago**

"Johnny where are going?" Cali asked.

"Bayville!" Johnny said.

"Bayville?" she asked.

"That or we can sombreros and false mustaches and cross the border into Mexico with new names! I'll be Pablo and you'll be Pabloett!" Johnny said.

Cali went into an uncontrollable blinking state "Bayville's fine!" she said.

Present 

"Petey? Where does Uncy Paul live?" Jay asked.

"Bayville," Petey said.


	2. Chapter 2

A Pocket of Luck

Short story number 2

Jay sat up and rubbed her eyes. She yawned and looked around. She was in an ally way. Petey and her had to stop here last night because both of them where tired. They had been walking to Bayville for a full week. They had just made it last night. She looked around for her older brother. He wasn't there. She looked over and saw their bags still in the corner.

"Petey?" she said standing up "Petey?" she again.

She bit her lower lip and circled around trying to find him. She started shaking. Her eyes started to water.

"Petey?" she said again.

She walked over near the sidewalk. No one noticed her. They all went on their way. She didn't recognize any faces. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Petey?" she said.

Everyone just walked past her; no one could hear her over the noise. She looked at all the different faces. Everyone seemed to look a like. People in walking outfits or suits. Her eyes caught sight of a girl dodging through the crowd. She had on a trench coat. She stuck out of the crowd. She finally bumped into someone. She let the man walk past her. She dodged her way over to the ally way. Jay just backed up. She was still crying. The girl held a wallet out. She opened it and pulled the money out. She stuck the money in her pocket and tossed the wallet aside.

Jay stood near the wall shaking and crying. She wasn't sure what to do. The girl looked over her way and walked over to her. Jay pushed her back against the wall and whimpered a bit.

"Relax kid, I ain't gonna hurt ya!" she said.

Jay stayed where she was.

"Are y' lost?" the girl asked kneeling down.

Jay shook her head.

"Then where are y'r parents?" she asked.

Jay's tears started coming down more and more. The girl just looked at her.

"Who y' here with?" she asked.

"M-m-my brother," Jay whispered shakily.

"Where is 'e?" the girl asked.

Jay sobbed a bit "I-I don't know," she broke out in tears.

The girl just backed up a bit, not sure what to do.

"What's the matter?" another girl said.

Her clothes where bright and colorful. She had a guitar on her back. She set it down and kneeled down next to Jay. She hugged Jay.

"Aw, come on, tell me what's wrong," she said gently.

"My big brother's gone!" Jay sobbed into the girl's shoulder.

The girl just rocked her a bit. She started to sing a song. Jay quieted down to listen. After she finished Jay wiped her eyes and sniffled.

"How'd y'r brother disappear?" the girl from before said kneeling down.

"I don know. I fell asleep last night. When I woke up he was gone," Jay said.

"Sounds just like what happened to my brother," the girl who was singing said.

"Mine too," the girl from before said, "What's y'r names?" she asked them.

"Jasmine, my nickname is Jay," Jay said sniffling.

"Just call me Cali!" the girl who was singing said "Who are you?" she asked pointing at the girl from before.

"Rei," she said.

Just before anyone could say anything a car alarm went off. The three looked out onto the street. Cars where going by. People where walking by talking to one another or on the phone. Rei walked father back into the ally way. The other two followed her. The deeper into the ally they got the more the sound seemed to fade away. Jay went over and sat near her bag.

"Ok, so is there like someone just going around stealing older brothers?" Cali asked.

Rei shrugged "No telling. De way dis world is I wouldn't be surprised," Rei said.

"So what do we do? Try and find them? Or just leave it be as it is and all of go on our own way?" Cali asked.

"I-I-" a car horn cut her off "Let's find a quieter place!" Rei said.

Jay grabbed her little book bag and put it on her back "What about my brother's bag? It has all our stuff in it!" Jay said looking over to the black book bag.

Rei sighed and threw the bag over her shoulder and started walking. Cali grabbed Jay's hand and led her out of the ally. Rei led them to a park. Rei sat down on a bench. Cali and Jay followed her. There was a playground in front of the bench.

"Why don't y' jus' go play," Rei said looking at Jay.

Jay looked at the playground and at the other kids running around. She looked back at Rei with big eyes.

"Fine! Don't go play," she said.

"Well what do we do?" Cali asked.

"I don't know!" Rei snapped, "Do I look like I have all de answers?" she said.

"Don't have a cow! I'm just asking!" Cali said.

"Just asking! Well t'ink a bit 'fore y' ask!" Rei said.

"What is your problem?" Cali yelled.

"My problem is I'm sitting next to an airhead," Rei yelled.

The two started argue. Jay just backed away from them. She started shaking. Her eyes started to water. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She let out a sob. The two kept arguing. Both of them where now standing. Rei looked ready to fight. Jay just backed up a bit more. She bumped into someone. She looked up at a boy. He was looking down at her with icy blue eyes. He walked over to Rei and Cali.

"Hey! Stop! You're scaring the kid!" he said.

Both Rei and Cali looked at him then at Jay. Jay was standing behind the boy's legs poking her head around. Cali looked at the ground. Rei just glared at the boy.

"Who are y' to tell me what ta do?" she said.

"I'm not telling you what to do, if you're gonna argue do it somewhere the kid can't see or hear!" he said.

Rei just glared at him. Two other boys ran over.

"Will! What's going on?" The older one said.

"Nothing, Sam," the boy said turning away from Rei.

"Hi I'm Jamie!" A boy said waving to Jay.

Jay just backed up a bit and looked around at everyone.

"We don't bite," one of the boys, said.

"What are your names?" Cali asked.

"I'm Will," the boy said, Rei just rolled her eyes.

"I'm Sam" the boy behind Will said.

He was about the same height as Will.

"I'm Jamie!" the boy said.

He was a little taller than Jay.

Sam looked down at Jay with blue eyes "What's your name?" he asked kneeling down.

"Jay" she whispered.

"We won't hurt you!" Jamie said running in front of her.

He gave her a hug. His brown hair tickling her ear.

"AW! So cute! Come here!" Cali said grabbing both of them and hugging them.

Her pigtails hitting their faces. Sam just laughed a bit and ran a hand through his blond hair. Cali set them both down. Both of them instantly ran behind Sam for cover. Sam just stood up. Cali just stared at Sam wide-eyed. Sam walked in front of Cali and held a hand out.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Cali took his hand. He pulled her up to her feet. She just blinked and stared at him.

"Uh-uh Cali. My name's Cali," she said blushing.

Jamie looked up at Will "Why is she giving Sam a funny look?" he asked.

Jay looked up at him. Both of them stared at Will who was smirking.

"Uh-uh no reason!" he said laughing a bit.

"We know everyone's name but yours," Will said looking at Rei.

Rei was leaning against a tree. She just glared at him.

"It's Rei," she said.

"Are you three sisters? Friends? Or what?" Will asked.

"We just met," Cali said.

Will nodded his head.

"What about you three?" Cali asked.

"Where friends," Will said.

A bolt of lightning lit the sky up. A crack of thunder soon came after. Everyone looked up at the sky. Drops of water started to come down lightly.

"I think it's time to go!" Will said, "You guys have any where to go?" Will asked.

Cali shook her head. Jay just kept looking up in the sky. Rei just stayed leaning against the tree.

"You can come with us if you want," Will said.

Cali started following them. She stopped and looked back at Rei and Jay.

"Come on! Quit sulking!" she said.

Rei just glared at her and grabbed the bags on the bench and started following them. Jay just stood there for a second and then followed Rei.

They led them to the edge of the park. Where the park met the forest. They led them into the forest. They walked for a little while. They eventually came across an old playground. They led them into a trailer behind the playground.

"What is this place?" Cali asked looking around.

"This was the playground a long time ago, but when Bayville grew they made the playground bigger. This one was just forgotten. The trail, we're not sure about. It was house, and it was in bad shape. We fixed it up though," Will said opening the door.

The rain started to pour. They all sat down on the floor.

"Jeez, I don't think this is gonna let up!" Cali said listening to the rain.

"We might be stuck here for most of the day," Will said.

Will got up and walked over to a cabinet and pulled out some food.

"Anyone hungry?" he asked.

Everyone nodded their heads. Jay dug through hers and Petey's bag and pulled out a box of Pop Tarts and stuck it with the other food.

"We got a lot to eat," Will said.

Everyone grabbed a bit of food and started eating.

"If we're gonna be stuck here for most of the day can I change back into my jammies?" Jamie asked through a mouthful of food.

Will nodded his head "Why not," he shrugged.

Jamie jumped up and ran out of the room. Sam got up and followed him.

"Might as well," he said leaving the room.

"I just might follow that idea," Cali said digging through her bag.

Will pointed to another room on the other side "You can change in there," he said.

Cali ran out of the room. Rei just rolled her eyes and sighed. Jamie ran out of the room. He was in a pair of shorts and an X-Men tee shirt. Sam came out after him in a pair of shorts and a baggy tee shirt. Will got up and went into the room. Cali came out in a pair of shorts and a tank top with a fire ball on it.

"X-Men! Cool!" Cali said looking at Jamie's shirt.

"I love X-Men!" Jamie said.

"Me too! I think Pyro's cool!" Cali said.

"I like Multiple Man!" Jamie said.

"Cannonball!" Sam said.

"Cannonball, he's cool! I like his brother Icarus is cool! He can sing and play guitar!" Cali said.

"Gambit's cool!" Jamie said, "He can blow stuff up!" Rei just gave him a look.

"Colossus is sweet! He's so gentle! But he can pick a car up and smash it to a thousand pieces!" Cali said laughing evilly.

Will cam back into the room in some shorts and a tee shirt "Please tell me you're not talking about X-Men!" he said.

"Yes we are! What's so bad about?" Cali asked.

Will just groaned, "A bunch of people in spandex running around, should say it all!" Will said.

Cali stuck her tongue out at him "That's what makes them cool! They're brave enough to run around in spandex!" she said.

"I just think the powers are cool," Sam said.

Cali sighed and looked over at Rei "You're not gonna join us in this slumber party?" she asked.

Rei raised an eyebrow "Slumber party? Y' gonna paint each others nail's next?" she asked.

Cali dug through her bag and pulled out purple, silver, black, red, yellow, and orange nail polish "If you insist!" she said.

Rei just rolled her eyes and dug through her bag "What about y' Jay, care ta join us in this insanity?" Rei said.

Jay just blinked and looked at her.

"Y' gonna put y'r pajamas on?" Rei asked.

Jay dug through her bag and pulled out a nightdress and followed and Rei.

The two walked into the back bedroom and changed. They walked back out and sat down with everyone. Jay had a light blue nightdress that went down to her feet on. Rei had a pair of long pants and a tee shirt on. Everyone went back to talking about X-Men. Jay grabbed her little book bag and grabbed her toy tiger out of it.

"Aw! You got a stuffed animal?" Cali said digging through her bag.

She pulled out a kangaroo. Jamie got up and left the room and came back with a teddy bear.

"Amazing, the topic went from X-Men to stuffed animals," Will said.

Rei and Sam laughed a bit. Cali pulled her guitar out.

"What songs you guys know?" she asked.

"A lot," Will and Sam said.

"How 'bout…Rockstar?" Cali asked.

"Nickelback?" Will asked.

Cali nodded her head. Will and Sam nodded their head. Cali looked at Rei. She nodded her head. Cali started to play and sing, Will, Sam, and Rei joined her. Jamie and Jay just listened. After they finished they started talking about other songs. They played some more songs.

They stayed inside for the rest of the day. They talked; played songs, played I spy, played the guessing game, or ate. It rained all day. Around nighttime Jay and Jamie started yawning a lot.

"You two need to go to bed," Will said.

Will grabbed a bunch of sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets from a closet and put them in pile. Jay and Jamie each grabbed a pillow and blanket and laid down and fell asleep in the corner. The other kids where still up.

"When you think about, this is probably worse for them than it is for us," Will said looking at Jay and Jamie.

"How so?" Cali asked.

"Dey don't even know what's going on," Rei said.

"That's why, they don't understand what's going on. They don't know why they're not in their house. They have no clue. That would be like someone giving us some college level calculus test, we'd be so lost, that's how they feel most of them, lost," Will said.

"But they act so happy!" Cali said.

"Jay doesn't, she's like a lost…. oh, I see what you mean. Yea they are lost. Jay doesn't even know what going on, she just stares at you wide-eyed," Sam said.

The four just looked at the two little kids. Jamie had kicked the blanket off of him. Jay was curled up. Will sighed and walked over and pulled the blanket back over Jamie.

"We gotta go into town tomorrow," Will said looking at the empty boxes of food.

"You know what this reminds me of? The 'Thief Lord', it's a book I read a while back. It takes place in Venice, it's about a small group of street kids, and they all live together in an old abandoned cinema. The boy that took them to that cinema clamed to be a thief, but he really was just a rich boy taking things from his house and giving them to kids to sell-" Rei cut Cali off.

"How does dis remind y' of dat book?" Rei said.

"We're a bunch of kids off the street and right now we're living together," Cali said.

Rei just rolled her eyes "Y' know how many books there are about kids living on the street? A lot! But that's jus' 'cause authors can't t'ink of any t'ing original! Dat and 'cause kids living on the street is much more interesting," Rei said.

Will just laughed a bit. Cali just rolled her eyes.

"Why don't we try to get some sleep?" Will said.

Everyone nodded their heads and grabbed blankets, pillow or a sleeping bag. They all fell asleep soon after.

Rei was the first one up, she got dressed and pulled a book out of her bag and sat down and read. Will was up next. He got dressed and started getting things ready for their trip into town. Jay got up next and Rei told her to get dressed. Jay followed instructions and got dressed. Sam got up and got dressed. Cali and Jamie where still sleeping.

"Jus' wake them up," Rei said.

"Sam, you get Jamie," Will said.

Sam woke Jamie up and told him to go get dressed. Rei was having trouble-getting Cali up. Everyone gathered around her to try and get her up.

"Oh god! I give up! We'll jus' leave her here!" Rei said.

Jay pulled on Rei sleeve. Rei kneeled down. Jay whispered into her ear. Rei laughed a bit and smiled.

"That'll work," Rei said.

Rei stuck her finger in her mouth and then in Cali's ear.

"AHHHH! OH GOD! That's disgusting! Ew!" Cali yelled trying to wipe her ear out.

Everyone started laughing. Cali got dressed and they all headed into town. Cali was going on about how disgusting that was and that they didn't need to do that. They walked into town and then to a grocery store. Will went in and came back with a few bags. Everyone was sitting on the edge of a wishing fountain. Cali was strumming her guitar.

Jay sat on the edge and watched the water in the fountain. She looked down at all the coins at the bottom. She looked back at the ground and saw a penny. She smiled and picked it up. She swung her feet back and forth and was humming along with Cali's song.

She started into the crowd of people. She watched everyone just walk by. Rei, Will, Sam, and Jamie where all singing along with Cali. Jay just kept staring off into the crowd and humming. After they all finished singing they started talking about which song they should sing next. Jay stood up on the fountain edge and stood on her toes.

"Jay, y'll fall in doing dat," Rei said.

Jay didn't listen to her. Jay's widened and she smiled. She jumped off and ran into the crowd.

"JAY!" Rei yelled running after her.

Everyone followed Rei into the crowd. Rei stopped when she found Jay. Jay was hugging a boy that was a bit taller than her. Rei caught sight of two boys standing next to him.

"REMY!" Rei yelled running to hug her brother.

"Rei?" Remy hugging her back.

"What's-JOHNNY!" Cali yelled and hugged her brother.

"AH! You're all coming out of no where!" Johnny yelled.

Will, Sam, and Jamie just stood their confused.

"Would someone like to tell us what's going on?" Will asked.

"Dis is my brother Remy," Rei said.

"This is Johnny! My brother!" Cali said hugging him tighter.

"Cali I love you too, but I can't breath!" Johnny said.

"This is my big brother Petey!" Jay said.

"What happened to you?" Petey asked.

"Uh guys, as much as I breaking up this reunion why don't we go back to the park, you're starting to draw a lot of attention!" Will said.

"Oh, right!" Rei said "Come on! We'll explain later," Rei, said.

They all walked back to the trailer. Rei, Cali, and Jay told Remy, Johnny, and Petey what had happened to them after they had disappeared.

"What happened to you guys?" Will asked.

"If we told y', y' wouldn't believe us!" Remy said.

"Try us," Rei said.

"Ok, we were kidnapped by dis crazy guy. 'E was making us work fo' 'im. De guy wore a bucket on 'is head and towel fo' a cape!" Remy said.

Everyone just gave them weird looks and laughed a bit.

"It's amazing that we found you!" Cali said.

"Yea, what are the chances? This city is filled with over a hundred people and over a hundred different place we could have been!" Will said.

They all looked at each other and smiled. They started laughing a bit. After a while everything went quiet.

"What now?" Cali asked.

"We have to get to Paul's. Knowing him, he'll send out a search party," Petey said.

"There are people who need music and a show!" Johnny said looking at Cali grinning.

"There's a lotta people with pockets," Remy said looking at Rei grinning.

Rei and Remy just laughed. Everyone just looked at them. Everything went quiet again.

"We're all gonna leave each other? Bu-but we all just got back together! We can't leave each other!" Jay said standing up.

Everyone just looked around at each other. Petey sighed.

"Paul has a big house, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Plus he would someplace for us to get jobs!" Petey said.

Everyone smiled "Sounds good ta me!" Remy said.

Everyone packed their bags and they walked off. They walked for an hour until they reached the neighborhood. They all stood outside of the house. Petey went and rang the doorbell.

"UNCY PAUL!" Jay yelled hugging him.

"JAY! PETEY! My god! I nearly sent out a search party!" he yelled.

"I figured that, listen, we got some friends, and a story to tell!" Petey said.

In a few minutes everyone was settled down in the living room. Everyone was helping tell the story. After they finished Paul was just sitting on the couch mouth wide open.

"Oh my god! That's just-wow! It's like some story or fairy tail!" he said "Well I can help you all get jobs, it is summer time now, so it should be easy. But for now how about we eat? How does pizza sound?" he asked.

Everyone nodded their heads. Paul called and ordered pizza. While they waited for the pizza Paul gave everyone a bed to sleep in. When the pizza arrived they picked out a movie to watch. The sat in the living room eating pizza and watching the movie. Jay dug into her pocket and pulled out the penny. She smiled and stuck it back in her pocket.

"What do you have?" Paul asked.

"A lucky penny!" Jay said smiling.


End file.
